Archive for January 4th, 2013

Dec. 19, 2012
Amy Kaoru Toyama, 80, of Pearl City, a retired library technician for Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, died in Ann Pearl Nursing Facility. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by son Sydney T., daughter Stephany A.T. Taba and two grandchildren. Private services.

Dec. 22, 2012
Helen Miyoko Mori, 97, of Honolulu, a homemaker, died in One Kalakaua Senior Living. She was born in Hawaii. She is survived by son Ronald, seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Visitation: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Services: 5:30 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.

Dec. 7, 2012
Thomas T. Iida, 91, of Pearl City, an Army veteran who served in World War II, died in Ewa Beach. He was born in Kau, Hawaii. He is survived by son William; daughters Jean Suzuki, Ann Parrilla and Kathleen Miyasato; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Private services. No monetary offerings.

Dec. 11, 2012
The Rev. Frank Fuifatu Talainu’upo Heather, 80, of Waianae, a retired Hickam Air Force Base carpenter foreman and a United Christian Church reverend, died at home. He was born in American Samoa. He is survived by son Kirk, daughters Pearl Spencer and Janet Siuta, nine brothers, four sisters and 13 grandchildren. Visitation: 9 a.m. Jan. 11 at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Services: 10 a.m. Burial: 1 p.m. at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery, Kaneohe.

Dec. 26, 2012
Dr. Steven K. DeWitt, 64, of Kaneohe, acting medical director of Halawa Correctional Facility and a Navy veteran who served in the Vietnam War, died in Kailua. He was born in Monett, Mo. He is survived by wife Elizabeth W., parents Keith and Evelyn, brothers Michael and Gary, and sisters Jan Watson, Tricia McKay and Beth Hyde. Services pending.

WALTER LEO RANKIN
B – Illinois 9 Feb 1920 D – California 10 October 2012 Leo, as he preferred to be called, filled his 92 years with honor, energy, humor and enthusiasm. He was married 66 years to Carolyn Cummings, of Colton, CA from 1939 until her death in 2005. They moved to Honolulu in 1946. He served his country with distinction during World War II, received Honorable Discharges from both the Army and the Navy and served at Consolidated Vultee Corporation (later Convair) in California and Australia, building, flying, maintaining and delivering WWII’s Liberator B24 in the War effort. He retired as Captain after a distinguished career flying for Hawaiian Airlines In Honolulu for 32 years (often delivering aircraft around the world) and later served Hawaiian as Vice President, Special Projects. In the early ’60s he took a few months’ leave from Hawaiian to fly for President Airlines, flying to major cities in Europe, the middle-East and Asia before returning to Hawaiian. For 60 years he enjoyed being a member of the QBs, Honolulu Hanger, a pilots’ organization he truly loved. His hobbies included traveling with his wife, auto racing, photography, Hawaiian jewelry design and production, everything “Apple,” and helping those less fortunate in Hawaii. He was past president of the Marguerite Gambo Wood Foundation, making major contributions to the Girl Scouts of Hawaii, the Pacific Air Museum Pearl Harbor and other organizations in Hawaii. He was Safety Chairman, State of Hawaii, Air Line Pilots Assn. for many years, and founder and past president Retired Hawaiian Airline Pilots (RHAP). He and Carolyn were active in many community organizations over their years in Hawaii, including Castle Medical Center of which Carolyn was a co-founder. Leo took his final flight in early December when his ashes were scattered South of Diamond Head from Hawaiian Airlines’ first aircraft, a restored 1929 Bellanca. Leo helped so many and was loved by all whose lives he touched. He will be truly missed. He is survived by his daughter, Barbara Rankin Arsenault, and his brother, Lee Rankin.

MARIA KELI’IONOWELO HALL JOHNSON AKA (PENNY)
Maria passed away peacefully at home in Kaneohe on December 18, 2012, at the young age of 75. Her love for family-rooted in God will be forever in our hearts. She was born in Aiea. She was an alumnus of Roosevelt H.S. She was a supervisor at Hawaiian Telephone Co, where she worked for 40 years. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, I. Walfrid Johnson, also her Mom and Dad and four brothers. She is survived by her daughters Sylvia R. Makainai (Jesse), Segrid M.K. Johnson-Hatten; grandchildren Mailani (Cody), SyRina (Chris), Jesse III (Mehana), Solomon, Sarah, Aaleeyah and Maria; 7 great- grandchildren; sisters, Poliala Hall Katschman, Edwina Hall Maijala; brothers, Charles Hall, Fredrick Hall; Family viewing 10:00 a.m. Visitation 10:30 a.m. Service 11:30 a.m. (1/8) at St. Ann Church; Burial 1:00 p.m. at Valley of the Temples.